with the social and political questions of the time, and had
taught him to speak in public. But Tadmor, rich in books and newspapers,
was a powerless training institution in the matter of small talk.

"Suppose Mr. Farnaby is obliged to go abroad," he suggested, after
waiting a little, "what will you do?"

Regina looked at him, with an air of melancholy surprise. "I shall do
my duty, of course," she answered gravely. "I shall accompany my dear
uncle, if he wishes it." She glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece.
"It is time he took his medicine," she resumed; "you will excuse me,
I am sure." She shook hands, not very warmly--and hastened out of the
room.

Amelius left the house, with a conviction which disheartened him--the
conviction that he had never understood Regina, and that he was not
likely to understand her in the future. He turned for relief to the
consideration of Mr. Farnaby's strange conduct, under the domestic
disaster which had befallen him.

Recalling what he had observed for himself, and what he had heard
from Mrs. Farnaby when she had first taken him into her confidence, he
inferred that the subject of the lost child had not only been a subject
of estrangement between the husband and wife, but that the husband was,
in some way, the person blamable for it. Assuming this theory to be the
right one, there would be serious obstacles to the meeting of the mother
and child, in the mother's home. The departure of Mrs. Farnaby was,
in that case, no longer unintelligible--and Mr. Farnaby's otherwise
inexplicable conduct had the light of a motive thrown on it, which might
not unnaturally influence a hard-hearted man weary alike of his wife
and his wife's troubles. Arriving at this conclusion by a far shorter
process than is here indicated, Amelius pursued the subject no further.
At the time when he had first visited the Farnabys, Rufus had advised
him to withdraw from closer intercourse with them, while he had the
chance. In his present mood, he was almost in danger of acknowledging to
himself that Rufus had proved to be right.

He lunched with his American friend at the hotel. Before the meal was
over Mrs. Payson called, to say a few cheering words about Sally.

It was not to be denied that the girl remained persistently silent and
reserved. In other respects the report was highly favourable. She was
obedient to the rules of the house; she was always ready with any little
services that she could render to h